Backlink & Authority Tools: What Works and What Was Retired
Backlinks — links from other websites pointing to yours — remain one of the strongest ranking signals in Google's algorithm, which is why an entire category of SEO tools exists just to measure, analyze, and manage them. This guide covers what's currently available on this site for backlink work, and is transparent about a few tools that no longer function.
What's Still Available
Two genuinely useful, fully working tools remain in this category:
Backlink Maker
The Backlink Maker submits your URL to a batch of free directories and platforms that accept link submissions, generating a starter set of backlinks. This kind of link is generally low-to-moderate value on its own compared to earned editorial links, but it's a legitimate way to establish initial presence for a brand-new site with no existing link profile.
Disavow File Generator
The Disavow File Generator creates a properly formatted disavow file for Google Search Console — used to tell Google to ignore specific toxic or spammy backlinks pointing at your site, which can otherwise drag down rankings or trigger a manual action if left unaddressed. This remains a genuinely important defensive SEO tool independent of any third-party API.
How to Check Backlinks and Authority Metrics Today
Since the in-house Moz-powered checkers are gone, if you need current backlink data or domain/page authority-style metrics, that now requires a dedicated third-party service with its own live data (such as Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz's own current product directly) — there currently isn't a free alternative built into this site for live backlink discovery or authority scoring.
All Backlink Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Backlink Checker and Page Authority Checker stop working?
Both tools depended on Moz's Linkscape API, which Moz discontinued years ago as part of retiring their older data infrastructure. There is no way to restore the original functionality without switching to a different, actively-maintained backlink data provider and rebuilding the tool around it.
Are backlinks built with a directory-submission tool actually valuable?
Generally low-to-moderate value compared to earned editorial backlinks from relevant, authoritative sites — but not worthless. For a brand-new site with zero link profile, a batch of legitimate directory listings can provide initial discoverability and a small trust signal, though it should never be the entire link-building strategy.
When should I actually use a disavow file?
Only when you've identified specific backlinks you're confident are harmful — paid link schemes, spam directory blasts, or a negative SEO attack — and ideally after attempting to have the link removed directly first. Google explicitly recommends most sites never need to use the disavow tool at all; it's meant for clear abuse cases, not general link cleanup.
What's a good alternative for checking backlinks now that the in-house tool is gone?
Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz's own current product all maintain live backlink indexes with paid (and in some cases limited free) access. There's currently no way to replicate that live, continuously-crawled backlink database without licensing one of those data sources.
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JayDev is an independent developer who builds and maintains SEO Stack Tools. Tool descriptions and blog content are drafted with AI assistance, then reviewed and edited by JayDev for accuracy before publishing. Questions or corrections go straight through the Contact page.
